1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to gripping sleeves and more particularly to gripping sleeves that engage the shank portion of an object and which are grasped by the user to assist in grasping the object as well as a method for using gripping sleeves.
2. Description of the related art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97-1.99
There are a number of gripping sleeves in the prior art which are used to help a user grip the shank portion of an object. These grips come in various forms and are sometimes found for example in use in gripping different instruments used in sports in which the instruments are used to strike a ball.
It has been common to utilize tape and other adhesives on the lower handle portion of a baseball bat to enhance the gripping capability of the user of the bat. Other sticky substances such as pine tar were utilized in the same fashion to increase the gripping capabilities of the bat. However, these approaches were detrimental in that the gripping capabilities were significantly reduced if dirt and dust accumulated on these items. Also, gripping capabilities degraded when these items became wet. Further, undesirable stains from these items could be easily transmitted to the clothing and gloves of the users.
Other gripping sleeves include U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,428, issued Jul. 30, 1991, to Bartkowicz. In Bartkowicz, the inner surface of the sleeve that is in contact with the bat is a high slip, low friction surface which permits the sleeve to freely rotate over the bat surface when the user makes a swing. The outer surface is of a high friction material such as rubber or similar synthetic which engages the inner surface of a conventional sleeve-type cover grip which secures the sleeve to the bat and in turn is held by the user. However, this gripping sleeve does not utilize an abrasive surface disposed on the interior wall surface of the sleeve and requires the use of a separate conventional sleeve-type cover grip or the like to secure the sleeve to the bat handle. Furthermore, the gripping sleeve is not bonded to the bat and does not utilize abrasive granular material dispersed about and partially embedded in the exterior surface or utilize protrusions integrally formed in the sleeve.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,246, issued Aug. 24, 1993, to Erb the sleeve is made entirely of a slippable material and is secured to the bat under a gripping sleeve. Similarly, Erb does not utilize an abrasive surface disposed on its interior wall surface of the sleeve and requires the use of a separate gripping sleeve to secure the sleeve thereunder. Furthermore, the gripping sleeve is not bonded to the bat and does not utilize abrasive granular material dispersed about and partially embedded in the exterior surface or utilize protrusions integrally formed in the sleeve.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,486, issued May 16, 1961, to L. J. Jones, the gripping sleeve utilizes an adhesive at the interior of the sleeve or is made of an elastic material in which the diameter of the sleeve is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bat handle. This adhesive or elastic material provides the sleeve with the ability to self-secure to the bat handle. L. J. Jones does not provide an abrasive surface disposed on its interior wall surface as the present invention, which in turn, permits the sleeve not to be self-securing and more easily moved to a desired use position and, at the same time, roughens the surface of the bat handle to further enhance the securement of the sleeve to the bat handle when in use. Furthermore, the gripping sleeve does not utilize abrasive granular material dispersed about and partially embedded in the exterior surface or utilize a sleeve that continuously overlies the outer circumferential surface of the shank portion having protrusions integrally formed in the sleeve.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,198, issued Jan. 16, 1979, to Briggs, an elastomeric latex tube is stretched over the handle portion of the bat and is secured thereto by the force exerted by the stretching of the tube and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,659,605, issued Nov. 17, 1953, to G. J. Le Tourneau, sponge like tubes are glued to the handle of the bat. Again, neither of these devices provide for an abrasive surface disposed on the interior wall surface of the sleeve, which in turn, permits the sleeve not to be self-securing and more easily moved to a desired use position and, at the same time, roughens the surface of the bat handle to further enhance the securement of the sleeve to the bat handle when in use. Furthermore, the gripping sleeve is not bonded to the bat and does not utilize abrasive granular material dispersed about and partially embedded in the exterior surface or utilize protrusions integrally formed in the sleeve.